1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a severe weather warning system of the type utilized in a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Jacobs in U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,388 discloses a device for tracking absolute barometric pressure, and responsive to sudden rather than gradual changes therein, will provide an audible or other detectable signal warning of the imminent approach of severe weather conditions, such as a tornado.
The prior art includes other examples, both mechanical and electronic, of similar severe weather warning detectors. However, in each case these prior art references require the use of special purpose, expensive devices such as atmospheric pressure sensors, computers, and displays. These severe weather warning systems are stand-alone units and are not suitable for use in an automotive environment, not only due to the required ruggedness of the apparatus but also because of the additional space and expense involved.
The present invention, in contrast, utilizes inexpensive, highly accurate and highly reliable components that are already available within the automotive vehicle, but connected into a system that is activated when the automotive vehicle and the components are not otherwise in use. That is, when these automotive components are not used for running or operating the motor vehicle, they are coupled into a different system configuration that is used for detecting and then warning of the onset of severe weather.
In addition to these aforementioned cost and quality advantages, the new system is particularly cost effective because the automobile is usually in close proximity to the operator or other people that are interested in determining the onset of severe weather. For example, when the family automobile is parked at home or is in a parking lot at an office building or other work location, the detection and warning of imminent severe weather will alert those nearby who may not otherwise have access to, or have their attention turned to, other sources of information regarding the approach of severe weather, such as radio, television, etc.
In order to utilize over the long term a microcomputer already located in the automobile, it is important to conserve electrical energy when the alternator is not charging the storage battery in the vehicle. One method of conserving power is to utilize the microprocessor for only short periods of time. However, this approach greatly reduces the computing power available for complex computational tasks. Therefore, the present invention also provides a uniquely efficient computational process, implemented in software to be run on the intermittently powered microprocessor, for acquiring, processing and storing the data, while also providing signals that will result in the warning of severe weather to nearby persons.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to utilize existing automotive components, when not in use for their normal automotive operational function, for sensing the changes in barometric pressure associated with the approach of severe weather, and then to warn those persons in the vicinity, through either visual or audible means or both. This function is accomplished through the use of existing, high performance components in a location that is convenient and near the persons to be warned.